Thomas Blake
Arizona Silver Belt
February 20, 1896

Thoms Blake, an employee of the Old Dominion Copper Company 
was shot and killed by Antonio Nunez at the company's smelter 
about 7 o'clock yesterday monring.  The deed was a foul and 
deliberate murder.  Blake and Nunez met in the smelter a short 
time previous to the shooting and Nunez accused Blake of having 
on his shirt and of having stolen it.  Blake indignantly denied 
the charge and slapped the Mexican in the face who went off 
vowing he would fix Blake. Nunez returned about 7 o'clock.  
Blake was then above the smelter, where coke and ore are 
delivered to the bins and was on the point of commencing work 
for the day.

Arthur Kenyon and A.M. Clark were present and were the only 
persons who witnessed the shooting.  Arthur who had been 
talking with Clark, started away to get some water when he 
heard Clark exclaim, "Don't shoot that man," and turning 
around saw Blake running toward the stairway leading down 
into the smelter and a Mexican followng about twenty feet 
behind.  He saw the Mexican shoot twice at Blake who fell 
at the second shot.  Nunez continued running down the roadway 
south and Clark followed a few paces and ordered the Mexican 
to stop or he would shoot.  Nunez, when he saw Clark had no 
gun, started agan down the hill, then turned to the left up 
the first gulch.  Kenyon ran to Blake when the latter fell 
and asked him who shot him.  Blake replied, "A Mexican shot 
me," and immeidately became unconscoius and very soon 
expired.

Sheriff J.H. Thompson who reached the scene soon afterward, 
followed Nunez's trail until it left the gulch and became 
indistinct when he returned to town and got three Indian 
trailers, who however, were no more successful, losing the 
trail  in the rocks more than a miles east of the smelter.

Thomas Blake was a comparative stranger here. He came from 
Jerome about a month ago and appeared to be an industroius 
and peaceable man. He was about 35 years.

Antonio Nunez came here from Clifton, where he bore an 
unsavory reputation.


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